Our hearts go out to little Shasta

Shock, horror and revulsion are the main reactions we feel as we watch the grim news unfolding from the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, kidnapping-murder case.

The depravity of the crimes is hard to fathom.

But the one bright spot is little Shasta Groene, who miraculously has survived an unimaginable ordeal.

In the words of one law official, "This little girl really went through more than any little girl should ever have to think about."

Our hearts go out to Shasta and her remaining family as they try to rebuild their lives.

And we hope this tragic case leads to increased vigilance by law enforcement, the courts and even citizens when it comes to dealing with sex offenders.

We want to extend our congratulations to Jim O'Day, the new athletic director at the University of Montana.

O'Day was chosen from a strong field of candidates to replace Don Read. We surmise that O'Day's strong Grizzly background gave him the edge for the UM job.

A UM graduate, O'Day has worked in the Grizzly athletics department for five years. In addition, his resume includes journalism work at the Daily Inter Lake and in Cut Bank.

We look forward to O'Day's tenure at the head of Grizzly athletics.

THE PEOPLE of London had less than 24 hours to truly celebrate the city's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

A day later, the world watched in horror as Londoners dealt with the aftermath of four explosions and learned that a group calling itself "The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe" had taken responsibility for the terrorism.

As rescue crews were still working their way through the disaster, British Prime Minister Tony Blair read a statement from G-8 leaders, saying "We shall prevail and they shall not." The G-8 summit continued in Scotland, as it should. It's that joint resolve that will ultimately keep the world moving forward in the face of terrorism.

London is a city that has dealt with terrorism plenty in its past, and it was somehow reassuring to listen to interviews with stoic British citizens who are taking the destruction in stride, "soldiering on" as one London shop owner put it.

Life goes on.

Certainly our sympathy is with those who lost loved ones in this latest slaughter of innocent people. With compassion must come resolve, though. The tangible unification of world leaders in the face of terrorism is our best defense.